Running after calf injury

[UnderABlanket]

Please help me wise mumsnetters, as I'm increasingly desperate to run...

About 10 weeks ago I popped my calf whilst jogging in a gentle warm up in an exercise class. The doc at A&E gave crutches (for 10 days to a fortnight), anti-inflammatories and painkillers and said not to exercise for 6-8 weeks, and then to build up very gently.

It took 3 weeks before I could manage without the crutches, and I didn't do anything more strenuous than walking for over 6 weeks. I have slowly been building up with a combination of walking, cross trainer and cycling, all of which are fine now, but the second I try to run I get what feels like a rectangular bar across my calf and I just know that I should stop. I've been warming up really well and wearing a calf support, but no improvement.

Whenever I've pulled my calf in the past, it's taken no longer than two weeks (at the most) to get back to some form of running. I was running nearly 10k quite regularly and now I'm really missing the mental release - an hour in the gym just doesn't have the same effect. I use running as a way of de stressing after work and find I'm increasingly grumpy without going!

Has anyone experienced something similar? How long did it take before you could run again? And what can I do to speed up the process?